Family Information

Every family is different and many of them are complex – something which is hard to capture in a calculator. Remember this is only an estimate and pick options that best resemble your situation. Once you are admitted, we will work closely with you to fully understand your family.

Each parent’s contribution is assessed separately. Each parent should use the calculator to obtain an estimated cost for their personal income and asset information. The total estimated net price to attend Harvard is the sum of the estimates for the two parents.

Remarried parents should separate their income and assets from the applicant’s step-parent’s income and assets. For assets where a clear separation isn’t obvious, please halve the value of these assets and include this value

Your citizenship

We use this only to determine certain aspects of your estimated cost of attendance.

Primary residence

We use this to determine your travel allowance (done by state for US students, province for Canadian students and by world region for other international students).

The number of children in college

You should enter the number of children who will be in college during the academic year, including you. If there will be more than one child enrolled in college, the calculator assumes that the additional child’s cost to your family is comparable to, or higher than, what you would pay to attend Harvard. (For example, if you select “2 in college” and the calculator estimates a Net Price of $15,000 for you, it is assuming that the second child’s cost to the family is $15,000 or more.)

The number of people in your family

This includes your parent(s) and the number of dependent people in your household, including those in college.

Parental Income

You should use your most recent year’s income information (converted to U.S. dollars if applicable). We will request tax forms and other financial documents to verify this information when you complete a financial aid application.

Gross wages/salary

This includes your total annual pre-tax earnings (including any voluntary retirement contributions such as Tax Deferred Accounts) from your wage statements. Do not include self-employment income or business income; include those amounts under business/farm income.

Interest/Dividend income

You should include both taxed and untaxed interest and dividend income.

Business/Farm income

You should include total business or farm net income before adjusting for depreciation and/or losses. For US tax filers: business/farm income is normally found on Schedule(s) C and/or F. You should also examine each partnership or corporation (e.g. IRS forms 1120, 1120S or 1065) in which you have an interest. Harvard excludes depreciation expense and/or losses when calculating net business income.

Total positive income from real estate to use in the Net Price Calculator: $35,000.

Other income

You should include any other income not reported elsewhere. This often includes income from trusts, gifts, taxed and untaxed social security, child support received, alimony received, untaxed housing and food allowances, recurring (taxed and untaxed) pension withdrawals, disability payments, etc. (Note: We usually exclude capital losses from income, which is why a negative number may not be entered. Additionally, if your capital gain is not your regular source of income, but rather a one-time event, Harvard may elect to exclude it from income.)

Total income:

$0

Assets

Use the most recent year’s asset information, converted to U.S. dollars. We will request tax forms and other financial documents to verify this information when you complete a financial aid application.

Student assets

Student assets

You should include all assets held in your name - do not include these elsewhere. If you are the beneficiary of a trust, include your share of the fair market value of the trust here.

Parental assets

Cash and investments

Cash: You should include all cash amounts - typically in savings and checking accounts. Investments: You should include the present value of stocks and bonds (excluding those held in traditional retirement accounts) but may also need to include more complex investments.

Business/Farm equity

This should represent the fair market value of your ownership share of any business or farm, less your share of any debts.

Real estate equity (but not home equity)

This should represent the fair market value of your ownership share of any real estate (excluding your primary residence) not already reflected in the Business/Farm section, less your share of any debts.

Other assets

Report the net value of any other asset not included elsewhere. This may include trusts, other non-rental real estate such as a vacation home, sibling assets, etc.